‘In the coming years there will be a multitude of applications that will benefit all sectors of agriculture’

Optimising irrigation water management through artificial intelligence. This is the project for which África Vicario Millán, a student of the Master's in Simulation in Science and Engineering offered by the University of Extremadura, has been awarded in the fifth edition of the 'Science in Feminine: Best Master's Degree Final Project Award'. 

The award, promoted by CaixaBank and the University of Lleida through the AgroBank Chair of 'Quality and Innovation in the Agro-food Sector' and endowed with 3,000 euros, recognises female excellence among students who have undertaken a master's degree in the agro-food sector, thus boosting their professional careers and promoting the visibility and development of their research.

Specifically, África's work stood out among 34 candidates for her development of an IoT (Internet of Things) network to monitor the irrigation water consumption of a plot located in Aranjuez (Madrid).

QUESTION: What sparked your interest in water management in agriculture, and how did you come up with the idea of incorporating artificial intelligence and IoT technology into this field?

ANSWER: The idea of implementing an IoT system to monitor irrigation emerged when I realised that the irrigators responsible for supplying water to the plots often had no control over the amount of water supplied, leading to significant waste. An IoT system allows us to remotely and determine in real-time the amount of water supplied and the weather and crop conditions, enabling verification of whether the amount of water used for irrigation is appropriate. Artificial intelligence algorithms are also very useful, as they allow us to estimate the gross irrigation water needs and compare these estimates with the actual water being supplied.

An IoT system allows us to remotely and in real time determine the amount of water supplied, enabling verification of whether the amount of water used for irrigation is appropriate

Q.: Artificial intelligence and IoT are revolutionising many industries. What were the biggest challenges in integrating these technologies into agricultural irrigation? Was there any discovery that made you reconsider part of the project?

A.: One of the main challenges was finding the best way to install a precise prototype robust enough to endure long periods outdoors. Another major challenge was finding a reliable data source for training and testing artificial intelligence algorithms, as there were no large databases with information on the irrigation needs of specific plots.

Q.: Do you have data showing the reduction in water consumption thanks to this system? Do you think it can be adapted for larger agricultural operations and other processes within the agro-food sector? 

A.: Although technical issues prevented the prototype from being installed in time to test its effectiveness in saving water, artificial intelligence algorithms were applied to data on meteorological variables and evapotranspiration from the Climatic Information System for Irrigation (SIAR). Analysing these data showed that predictions of irrigation needs can be accurate enough to save significant amounts of water, indicating that the system would be very useful for agricultural operations.

Predictions of irrigation needs can be accurate enough to save significant amounts of water, indicating that the system would be very useful for agricultural operations

Q.: Looking to the future, what other areas of agriculture could benefit from artificial intelligence? 

A.: Significant progress is being made in applying artificial intelligence in almost all fields of knowledge. Given that predictions of irrigation needs and crop conditions can be made with remarkable precision without requiring extensive resources, numerous applications will undoubtedly emerge in the coming years to benefit all agricultural sectors.

Q: The role of women in science and technology is evolving in the agro-food sector. Do you think progress is being made in inclusion and recognition? What message would you give to those who want to pursue a career at the intersection of artificial intelligence and sustainability? 

A: It is true that significant strides have been made recently in terms of inclusion and recognition of women in research, but there is still a long way to go. To those who want to pursue this type of career, I would recommend that they thoroughly research to choose the path they truly enjoy, as there are many options within these areas.

Thank you, África, and congratulations!